SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday questioned the government’s response to allegations linked to the ongoing Opposition protest over the Chief Election Commissioner issue, saying action should have been taken if the claims being raised were fabricated.
Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Abdullah was asked about the detention of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the continuing protest.
“If this is all fabrication, then why don’t you take action against them?” Abdullah said.
Referring to a report published by The Indian Express, the Chief Minister said that if the report was incorrect, the government could have pursued legal action against those responsible.
“At least there would have been defamation. But it was not done,” he said.
Abdullah said the protest was part of a wider programme announced by the INDIA bloc following a meeting in Delhi.
“This is the result of the INDIA bloc meeting that took place in Delhi the other day. And the calendar of the whole month was presented to the media,” he said, adding, “We are taking that forward.”
Cabinet expansion after GST Council meeting
On the long-awaited expansion of the Jammu and Kashmir Council of Ministers, Abdullah said administrative changes had been made after careful consideration and indicated that the cabinet expansion would be taken up after the GST Council meeting in Delhi.
“The Assembly session has been completed. We could have done it in a few days. But tomorrow the GST Council meeting is in Delhi. So we will complete it and then we will consult with Farooq Abdullah, party president, and we will do what we have to do,” he said.
Under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, the Council of Ministers cannot comprise more than one-tenth of the total strength of the 90-member Legislative Assembly, limiting the council to nine members.
The current council has six members — Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary and ministers Sakeena Masood (Itoo), Javed Ahmed Rana, Javid Ahmad Dar and Satish Sharma — leaving three positions vacant.
The cabinet expansion has remained pending for several months. Abdullah had earlier indicated timelines for the exercise, but the process was deferred to allow ministers to focus on defending their respective departments during the Assembly’s Autumn Session, which concluded on September 30.
The delay has also drawn criticism from within the National Conference, with some legislators raising concerns over the performance of certain ministers and the distribution of multiple portfolios. The Opposition BJP has also criticised the repeated postponement of the cabinet expansion.
